Surprising
Mastic toothpaste cut a key bad-breath gas by 84% in teens with braces — but didn't touch two other odor compounds.
This small, 14-day trial in adolescents shows promise for mastic as a natural breath freshener during orthodontic treatment, but the effect appears limited to hydrogen sulfide, and the lack of replication means we shouldn't generalize to adults or broader use yet.
In a double-blind study of teenagers with braces, those who used mastic-infused toothpaste saw their breath hydrogen sulfide levels drop from 158 ppb to 26 ppb — a large reduction — while the control group didn't. However, the same study found mastic didn't reduce two other sulfur compounds responsible for bad breath, and since this is among the first trials on this pairing, the findings are preliminary.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Mastic for Reduced Hydrogen Sulfide Level — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- 2025-07-30
- Journal of breath research
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.